Welcome to Mad About Art!
Mad About Art! is an enthusiastic group of art lovers run by a volunteer board. MAA! offers monthly programming featuring unique art activities in the Denver metro area. Programs include artist studio visits, private collection tours, corporate art tours, and public art tours. There are also book salons and lectures. Social activities include member parties for holidays and special events. In addition, the MAA! Travel program provides small group excursions to national and international locations several times a year. Membership is $75 per household for a calendar year.
It is time to renew your Mad About Art! 2025 membership. Programming is well underway for 2025, with events you won’t want to miss. Click the link below to complete your membership renewal, then view your cart and pay. Membership dues are $75.00 per household for 2025. You cannot sign up for events until you renew your membership. So sign up NOW!
(Note: Any new members joining 9/1/24 or later are already considered paid for 2025.)
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to Join or Renew Your Membership
(Don’t forget to view your cart and pay after you have registered.)
Looking forward to another year of exciting art adventures.
Don’t delay; renew your membership today!
HAPPENING IN JUNE 2025
Amy Metier and Jeff Richards Studio Visit
Thursday, June 5, 2025, 11AM
MAA! members will visit the studios of artists Amy Metier and Jeff Richards. The artists will discuss their work and process.
Amy says of her work: My work alludes to the indeterminate and often restless space between abstraction and figuration. Fragments of ideas, places or shapes; historical references; encounters with an exterior and interior world; stillness and chaos; the rhythmic and seductive language of mark-making; an obsession with color, light and the formal properties of art are all a part of my process of painting. Intuition, interpretation, reconstruction, and the importance of seeing, in essence for the first time, whatever I am painting from is also essential.
I generally work in series to best explore a specific subject or concept. Travel and artist residencies in Ireland, France and Rome for concentrated periods of time over the last few years have allowed me the time to focus and create in a new environment. This exposure to other inspiring artists and cultures has strongly influenced my work.
Jeff says of his work: “Here, take these. I don’t know what to do with them”. With those words an artist friend thrust a large box of industrial sewing threads spools into my hands. Little did I know that that simple action in a moment in time would alter my life dramatically.
I had been an installation artist, creating large room sized constructions like theatre sets that the viewer would enter and interact with. Then a box of sewing thread spools enters my life and a transformation begins. Slow at first, like the crawl of tectonic plates. Then gathering momentum over time… a stroll, a brisk walk, a jog, a sprint. Suddenly, sewing thread is my primary medium for artistic expression. That was 25 years ago. To this day it has not grown stale.”
No cost to attend
Click here to sign up by June 3, 2025
Event Location: Blue Silo Studios, 4701 National Western Drive, Denver, Colorado
Directions for Blue Silo Studios: From downtown take Broadway north until it turns into Brighton Blvd. Continue on Brighton Blvd until 44th. Turn left. Continue in front of the Coliseum until you reach a flashing red stop sign. Turn left. You are now traveling alongside the Stadium and under I-70. The first right is National Western Drive. The Blue Silo Studios is immediately on the left, 4701 National Western Drive.
Parking is available at Blue Silo Studios.
The program is limited to 25 Members.
Flourishing Through Beauty: A Modern Renaissance of the Arts (How Art Affects the Human Body)
Monday, June 16, 2025, 5PM
Shannon Robinson, an arts advocate, collector, and president of the nonprofit foundation, Windows to the Divine and Collectors for Connoisseurship, will give a power point presentation about the exciting prospects for a dramatic and widespread rebirth of the arts based on scientific research confirming the health benefits of engaging in the visual and performing arts! Join us for a fascinating discussion.
Join us for a glass of wine and light hors d’oeuvres after the program.
No cost to attend
Click here to sign up by June 9, 2025
Event Location: Club House, Polo Club, 2552 E. Alameda Avenue, Denver 80209
The program is limited to 40 Members.
Special instructions: Parking is tight. Please try to carpool.
Annie Murphy Art and Garden Tour
Sunday, June 22, 2025, 9-11am
MAA! Members: Please join us on June 22nd, from 9am-11am, for a tour of MAA! member Annie Murphy’s beautiful home. Hailing from Wisconsin, Annie has been in Denver for over 50 years. Annie’s passion in life revolves around beauty & design, be it art, decor, or gardening. Her art is eclectic; focusing on themes of landscape, street art, pastels, and exquisite furniture from George III. Please join us for a lovely morning exploring beauty in all its forms
No cost to attend.
Click here to sign up by June 14, 2025.
Event Location: 2298 Green Oaks Dr., Greenwood Village, CO 80121
The program is limited to 75 Members.
Special instructions: Parking is on the street.
Please note, we will be supplying booties for your shoes. Also, bottled water will be available.
MAA Travel Program for 2025
Washington, D.C. and its Fabulous Museums amidst Cherry Blossoms
March 30-April 6, 2025
SOLD OUT
This not-to-be-missed tour of museums throughout the Nation’s Capital will introduce participants to the plethora of institutions such as The National Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the Freer Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Hirschhorn, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Women’s Art, the National Museum of African American Art, the National Museum of the American Indian, among others. Other venues will be added as available. You’ll experience extraordinary hotel accommodations, fine cuisine, and the lively, collegial, and witty banter of the tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art Museum.
Swiss Museums, Hotels and Restaurants
October 4-15, 2025
SOLD OUT
Pack your lederhosen and Swiss-designed OnCloud sneakers for this fabulous tour of Switzerland’s scenic beauty and memorable museums in 2025 from the 4th to the 15th of October. This tour will travel through the playground of Europe by first-class Swiss passes to Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lucerne, and Geneva, as well as to little-known venues such as Saint Gall and Winterthur. You’ll experience stunningly new museums by world-class architects David Chipperfield in Zurich, Jean Nouvel in Lucerne, Mario Botta in Basel, and Renzo Piano in Bern and Riehen, luxuriate in extraordinary hotel accommodations, and dine at Switzerland’s finest restaurants. The tour’s guide, Dr. Timothy James Standring, Curator Emeritus, Denver Art, will enliven the 20 participants of this Swiss tour with lively, collegial, and witty banter.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
June 5, 11am
Amy Metier and Jeff Richard’s studio visit
June 16, 5-6pm
Art and the Body lecture by Shannon Robinson
June 22, 9-11am
Tour Annie Murphy’s home and garden
July 10
Group show, Colorado Photographic Arts Center
July 13, 2025, 9am-noon
Tour of Chad’s and Christopher’s garden and home
July 17, 3-5pm
Elizabeth Britten Studio Visit
August 1
Patricia Aaron studio visit
September 17, 11am
Jane Guthridge studio visit and demonstration
October 4-15
Swiss Museums, Hotels and Restaurants Trip
December 7, 4-7pm
Holiday Program
For any questions or concerns, please email us at maaprograms@yahoo.com.
PAST PROGRAMS
Tour of exhibition Kent Monkman: History is Painted by the Victors with Denver Art Museum Curator John Lukavic
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
RedLine Contemporary Art Center
Thursday, May 1, 2025
(Left) Terry Maker with “Traces” exhibition artwork: Left to right: Drawn from Dust, Prismacolor pencil, acrylic paint, graphite on Evolon paper, 84 x 84 in.; Field Lines, shredded documents and resin on panel, 48 x 48 x 4 in. Courtesy of Robischon Gallery.
(Right) Robischon Gallery artist Terry Maker with her “Traces” exhibition artwork left to right: Field Line Drawing powdered pigment, Prismacolor pencil, graphite and acrylic on paper, 48 x 48 in.; Drawn from Dust, Cut, Prismacolor pencil, acrylic paint, graphite on Evolon paper, 84 x 84 in.; Dust Devil, powdered pigment, acrylic and graphite on Evolon paper, 65 x 41 1/4 in. Courtesy of Robischon Gallery.
LOCAL INTEREST
Twice a year, the artists at Prism Workspaces open their doors to the public for Open Studio Night. Prism has 68 studios, so this is a unique opportunity to talk to the artists and see their work.
prismworkspaces.com
Friday June 20, 2025
5:30-9pm
999 Vallejo Street, Denver, CO 80204
Prism is a unique, creative community comprised of emerging and established artists, designers, photographers, fiber and mixed media artists, sculptors, furniture design, common gallery space, video production, illustrators, early-stage workspaces for product development, incubator spaces, jewelry and print-making studios and creatives of all types.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH ART
Center For The Arts Evergreen 31880 Rocky Village Drive Evergreen, CO 80439 • 303-674-0056
Interesting exhibits and a ZOOM book club for members. The book club selections are fiction based on the art world with lively discussions which sometimes include the authors. For more information on the book club, visit evergreenarts.org/cae-book-club.
Crystal Bridges Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a37911642/alice-walton-crystal-bridges-museum-interview/
Great Art Books of 2020: https://apple.news/ADZZ5tDWJO8iZTWWX_UciZA
Google Arts and Culture: https://artsandculture.google.com
Wiki Art Visual Art Encyclopedia: www.wikiart.org
National Gallery of Art: The Art of Looking: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/gallery-talks/the-art-of-looking.html
The National Gallery of Art provides an ongoing webinar series for members. Visit www.nga.gov
The Louvre Museum offers its entire collection online at https://www.louvre.fr/en/
Kino Now: Discover the masterworks of yesterday and new films destined to be classics tomorrow. Good source for viewing films on the subject of art and artists. https://kinonow.com
As a follow-up to our visit with Skip Whitcomb, an interesting article on color theory: https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/primary-sources?fbclid=IwAR1DYkfS52gGztKPid7m3r_QdkEhRUyAm_shHxRKUsb9Ig0AF8J346SdOT
Hybrid Programming
Our hybrid model of programming which offers both in-person and online events began with Covid but has remained popular even as health concerns ease. The 2025 Events list is updated monthly and designates locations, times, and requirements. Please watch your email for any last-minute changes.
Note: In-person gatherings may require proof of vaccination. Masking policy will follow public health guidelines and/or may be required at the request of the host.
Zoom Etiquette
Zoom programs allow us to “travel” to more places and stay safe during events such as Covid 19. Going forward, we hope to benefit from some tips we have learned along the way. While we love to see you on Zoom as does the speaker, adhering to a few common courtesies helps maintain the quality of our programs. For example, once the speaker has begun a program, please remember to mute yourself if the host has not already done so. You will save us the interruptions caused by coughing, talking, etc. which temporarily bring your name up onto the screen. If you are multitasking, please also turn your video off. Scenes of cooking, answering phone calls, exercising, and sleeping are distracting, sometimes embarrassing. Respect for all involved is the goal. We appreciate your help in this endeavor.
JOIN AS A NEW MEMBER BELOW
DUES PAYMENT
Annual dues are $75.00 per household. After completing the Membership Registration form, you will receive access to make your dues payment by debit or credit card. Membership cost is $75 per household for a calendar year.
Member Registration
Membership signup form
MAA! BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2025
President: Chad Skrbina
Past President: Hanne Lichtenfels
Treasurer: Stacey Wilson
Secretary: Kate McDaniel
Membership: Patty Horsch
Programs: Carol Whitley
Communications: Terry McCullough and Robin Schaefer
Travel: Helen Shreves
Nominating: Mary Willis
Check Out Our Video and Previous Programs Page
Here you will find videos from our recent and past events – just click the red video icon.
